Eoghan Long

Murray wins in Mallow

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Mallow SSC 2019_ Ben Murray_1

Ben Murray (Waterford Castle) pictured with John Martin O’Keeffe after winning the Mallow Senior Scratch Cup.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Ben Murray stole the show in Mallow on Sunday afternoon, winning the Senior Scratch Cup in front of a huge crowd.  The Waterford Castle man shot the lights out in the back nine, stealing the limelight from hometown star James Sugrue.  This was the first Senior Scratch Cup in Mallow for seven years and the organising group of Conor Dowling, Brian Attridge, Neil Gallagher and Sean O’Shea put on a great event.  With help from main sponsors Hegarty Building and Civil Engineering, there was a generous prize fund in place and the event filled quickly as some of Munster’s top golfers looked to claim one of the final pieces of silverware for the season.  The course was in great condition in Mallow, and the lightning fast greens suited the top class amateurs.  Monkstown’s Eoghan Long held the lead after the first 18, his four under par 68 gave him a one shot lead over James Sugrue, with Ben Murray, Joe O’Sullivan and Fionn Hickey Continue reading →

Cork set for Munster Strokeplay

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Munster Strokeplay Championship Cork Golf Club Sunday 6th May 2018Alan Fahy returns to Cork this weekend to defend his Munster Strokeplay title.  Cork Golf Club will play host to the 72 hole event on Saturday and Sunday, and although some of the Irish Team are in Lytham, the field is the deepest ever with the cut falling at +0.4.  The marquee three ball tees off at 9.40, it contains the champion Fahy, the 2018 runner up Robbie Cannon and Portmarnock’s Geoff Lenehan.  The three have all shown promise this year and will be hoping for a positive start in Cork on Saturday.  Keith Egan from Carton House is the lowest handicapped golfer in the field, playing off an impressive mark of +3.0.  Gary O’Flaherty, Ian O’Rourke and Ian O’Flynn are the leading contenders from the home club while Kanturk native Paul Buckley has recently joined the club and will be hoping to build on good form from last weekend in Lee Valley.

Cathal Butler, Eoghan Long and 16 year old Mel Deasy are among the other locals who may challenge on Sunday afternoon.  Deasy hit the Continue reading →

Monkstown Through in AIG Senior Cup

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AIG Senior Cup Area Semi Finals 2018 Cork Golf Club Sunday 24th June 2018Monkstown were the first club to book their place in the Munster finals in Thurles, marking the third time in four years that they have reached the finals of the AIG Senior Cup.

16 teams started in Cork Golf Club on Saturday morning, and two rounds later there were just four.  Bandon faced Kinsale and Mallow were up against Monkstown this morning.  The two semi-finals were close matches, with the Bandon Kinsale derby needing three extra holes to decide the winner.  Bandon’s Ger Tobin was the hero as he won the 21st hole to take Bandon through to area final.

AIG Senior Cup Results

For team manager Pat O’Keeffe and his assistant Martin Walsh it marks another successful start to a campaign.  Last year the lost at the semi-final stage so there’s no doubt that they’ll appreciate making it through to the Munster finals.  This afternoon there were wins for Sean Desmond, Donal McDonnell and Martin Continue reading →

Major win for Long in Douglas

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Douglas SSC 2018_2Eoghan Long claimed his first scratch cup win on Sunday when he won the 36 hole Douglas Senior Scratch Cup.  The Monkstown man posted the best score of the afternoon when he signed for a two under par 70.  Added to his level par 72 from the morning, his total of 142 for the 36 holes was enough to win the title by one shot.  Long had two challengers, both Peter O’Keeffe and Eric Rumley had shot 70’s in the first round, but they both finished with 73’s in the afternoon.

Play in Douglas was delayed on Sunday morning due to heavy rain.  Although the overnight downpour had stopped the course staff needed some time to clear some standing water.  Although the threat of rain was never too far away the course dried out and some good golf was on display.  O’Keeffe and Rumley were the only golfers to break par.  Long along with Stephen O’Neill and Darren Continue reading →

Strong Cork Challenge in Lahinch, South of Ireland Day 3

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AIG Senior Cup, Mallow Golf Club, Sunday 25thth June 2017Weather conditions in Lahinch were slightly better today as the opening two rounds of the matchplay got underway.  After two rounds there are still five Cork golfers involved, with two all-Cork clashes set for tomorrow morning.

Kinsale’s Cathal Butler and John Murphy made it through to the third round.  Murphy had a two hole win over his Munster team mate Andrew McCormack this afternoon while Butler won on the 18th against Robert Brazill from Naas.  Butler will face Peter O’Keeffe in the third round, O’Keeffe had wins today over two Limerick members, Owen O’Brien and Sean Poucher to book his place on the last 16.  Gary O’Flaherty will face James Sugrue in the final match tomorrow morning.  O’Flaherty needed all 18 holes this morning to beat Keith Murphy while this afternoon he dispatched Stephen Loftus 5&4.  Sugrue was the last player left on the course this evening and he wrapped up his match with Darragh Coghlan on the 17th.  With eight Cork qualifiers the hopes were high that someone might follow in Mervyn Owens footsteps and claim the prestigious South title.  After today there are still five with a chance.  Gary Ward won this morning but fell to Colm Campbell in the second round match this afternoon.  Two Cork qualifiers lost out in this morning’s first round.  Sean Desmond was handed a tough draw when he was put up against Conor O’Rourke from Naas.  The form book ruled and Continue reading →

Desmond claims first Scratch Cup win in Douglas

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Sean Desmond Douglas SSC 2017

Sean Desmond (Monkstown) receives the Douglas Senior Scratch Cup from sponsor Kieran Canty, Kieran Canty Financial Services.

Monkstown’s Sean Desmond made a successful return from injury today when he won the Douglas Senior Scratch Cup.  Desmond suffered ankle ligament damage earlier this month and that kept him off the course for three weeks.  Douglas was his first competitive outing and this morning he shot a solid level par 72.  The first year UCC student was two shots off the lead after the first round when his Senior Cup partner Eoghan Long led the field with a 70.  It was a packed leaderboard with over 20 golfers within four shots of the lead. Desmond started fast the second round and he was three under through 10 holes.  He gave two shots back thought on the 12th and the 16th.  A birdie on the 17th however proved to be the difference and he went on to win by one shot.

“It’s my first scratch cup win and absolutely delighted to get one, especially in a big competition like Douglas” said a happy Desmond who was equally happy with the way he played.  “I played very solidly.  I hit the ball well in general, and hit a lot of greens. I put myself in the right spots most of the time except for a few holes where I made some very sloppy bogeys.  But overall I  Continue reading →

Long Read: Senior Cup Success for Monkstown

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Monkstown bounced back from a heart-breaking Munster final loss last year, and secured their first Senior Cup pennant for 53 years. 

AIG Senior Cup Munster Finals, Cork Golf Club, Saturday13th August 2016

Monkstown Golf Club banished the harsh memories from last year as the bounced back to win the AIG Senior Cup Munster final.  Losses in finals, especially on the final green can generate mental scar tissue, but the Monkstown team showed no signs of weakness as they negotiated their way through a semi-final match against Ballybunion and a final win over Castletroy.  That’s not to say that Monkstown didn’t have Continue reading →